On July 3, Tula State University held a ceremony of awarding certificates to the foreign citizens who studied under pre-university training programmes at the Department of General Theoretical Disciplines and Russian as a Foreign Language of the Institute of International Education.

Despite its official status, it is impossible to call this event purely official. It was rather an extraordinary mix of solemnity, touching and creativity, imbued with rays of kindness, respect and, of course, love.

They have completed their first year of living and studying in Russia, and gathered together with their teachers to summarise their results. And they did it great!

International students have a solemn day, emphasised Olesya Yevgenyevna Labadze, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Project Management, in her welcoming speech, All of them have won a very important victory on the path of their formation.

Each of these students has a unique set of personal qualities, but all of them, without exception, are united by courage and determination. Only courageous and purposeful young people can decide to take a serious step and come to study in another country.

These young men and women, said Olesya Evgenyevna, have the opportunity to learn Russian well, immerse themselves in an environment that is new to them, and deeply comprehend the culture of Russia. Tula State University creates all the necessary conditions for foreign citizens to get acquainted with the history and traditions of the whole Russia and the Tula region. And the Tula Region, which is steeped in legends, has a lot to surprise its guests. Tula itself is the third museum capital of the Russian Federation after Moscow and St. Petersburg.

But by imbuing with Russia`s identity, the Vice-Rector continued, foreign students have the opportunity to demonstrate the culture and customs of their countries and such an opportunity directly reflects the ideas of good neighbourliness of a multinational state, which is Russia.

Olesya Evgenyevna wished all the students to become good specialists in the future.

Olga Dmitriyevna Gladkova, Director of the Institute of International Education, congratulated the young guys and girls on reaching the final of the year. Our foreigners, she said, studied not only the Russian language, but also general theoretical disciplines and they showed themselves very well.

They won various competitions and Olympiads, gave interviews to the Tula media, participated in the festival ‘All Flags Come to Visit Us!’, multicultural events and even open days. In other words, they were actively involved in the bustling university life.

- I wish you continue to love Russia in the future, constantly improve your Russian language and become ambassadors of the Russian Federation and at the same time always remain worthy sons and daughters of their countries! - Olga Dmitriyevna addressed the foreign students.

The videos prepared by the foreigners themselves were a wonderful background for the certificate awarding ceremony, very heartwarming and leaving no one indifferent. Each group tried to give their best and to bring a creative spark to their video message in Russian.

The students heartily thanked their teachers, the most favourite and caring ones, told about the events they remembered, for example, how they ate a delicious cake at the birthday party of one of the teachers and celebrated the New Year, about the sights of Tula and the capital of our Motherland, confessed how much they like Russian people, because they are always ready to help. And, of course, there were words of admiration for our snow. No wonder - it is special here. Unusually bright and white, as one of the girls put it. Indeed, how great it is when a marvellous Russian winter becomes an entourage for new impressions and new acquaintances! It will never be forgotten!

And the teachers, the very same, favourite and caring, were also inspired and warmly congratulated their graduates. Their videos were no less emotionally coloured. Irina Marselyevna Lagun, Head of the Department of General Theoretical Disciplines and Russian as a Foreign Language, emphasised that for those who got a high score, this is not the limit and it is necessary to work further. For those who got a low score, it is not the end and they also need to work further. One should always work to achieve the goal. It is very important that the work is interesting and you want to do it. She advised the students to work with pleasure.

Good advice from the teachers came like from a cornucopia. Girls and boys were urged to keep the warmth and care given to them by TulSU teachers, wished them to become true professionals, and the years of study at our university were the best in their lives, that they all found personal happiness and created strong families.

- You will definitely succeed! - said one of the teachers. - We believe in you! 

And these words were certainly inspiring. They always make you want to create and build.

And then there was a concert prepared by the students of the pre-university training programme and those who are already the students of TulSU. 

A musical composition from the musical ‘Notre Dame de Paris’, songs, poems by Bulat Okudzhava and Ivan Bunin were performed. 

The performances were interesting and dear because each performer not only demonstrated the skills, but also managed to reach hearts with sincerity of feelings, kindness and openness to the world.

Tatyana Krikunkova

Photos by Mikhail Gindin